(Image Source: Marvel Studios)
Late last year, Marvel Studios announced that "Avengers: Endgame" would return to North American theaters on September 25 this year, building hype for the upcoming fifth installment in the "Avengers" saga, then titled "Avengers: Doomsday," set for release on December 18. At the recently concluded CinemaCon, Marvel and parent company Disney Pictures further revealed that this would be more than just a simple re-release of an old film.
For starters, this theatrical run of "Endgame" will feature never-before-seen extended footage. Additionally, Disney and Marvel will use this re-release to launch "Infinity Vision," their proprietary new premium large format (PLF) cinema certification brand. To achieve this technical certification, theaters must boast massive screens, high-brightness and high-clarity laser projection, and fully immersive, top-tier audio systems. Both "Endgame" and the upcoming fifth "Avengers" film are slated to be the inaugural titles heavily promoted under this new brand.
Industry insiders and fans alike are speculating that Disney and Marvel's push for Infinity Vision stems from their inability to secure prime IMAX screening slots for the end of the year. While they are going head-to-head with "Dune: Part Three" on the same release day, "Dune: Part Three" reportedly secured exclusive rights to all IMAX screenings for its first three weeks. This move is widely seen as a strategic response to boost box office performance.